so i'm in a weired situation i guess. there is a fm server in this company i work for now. its version 5. all the files end with fp5. so now there is a new server 9 (almost advanced). test mode....

problem: on my macbook i have fmp 9. can't see anything on the fms 5. everybody else has a windows client fmp 6. none of those can see any of the databases on the fms 9. which end with fp7.

so basically if i want to work on their current server i have to degrade my client to 6?!? that would be retar-ded. cause i dont think the company would start spending money on new fmp clients for all their windows machines.

is there any backward compatibility so fms 9 can serve fp5?! since logically fmp 6 client wont see anything that ends with fp7?!?!

what reasonable options do i have to actually get the job done here?! and subsequentially get paid.

thank you...

They are not compatible at all. Either everyone will have to have both client versions to access each server seperately, or you will have to MIGRATE the pre-7 solution. If you are going to do that, read the tech brief on it.

tech brief... yea... ok.. loads of fun... as i thought. prety retarded situation. now i have to look for a new job i guess....

Well it is your responsiblity as a hired developer to explain the situation to your client. You cant run current windows applications on a DOS based computer can you? The software hasn't been architected for the system.

The architecture of the application has changed significantly from 6 to 7. IMO, there has been two dramatic releases; when FileMaker became relational instead of flat file and when they went to multiple tables with FM7.

I dont see what the big deal is with purchasing a copy of FM6 Developer for yourself if you are getting paid as a consultant... Either that or convince the company that migrating over the 6 files to 9 is in their best interest (which it really is) and perhaps can result in it being a more lucrative deal towards you.

Some migrations are not easy, that is why they have consultants that specialize in it. If you can convince them that migrating would be the best route, then you really DO NEED to read the whitepaper and perform due diligence as an "Advanced" developer would do. If purchasing a copy of FM6 Dev to "get paid" is not in your interest, then I guess that is a whole other issue.

There are two solutions as I see it:

1.) Assimilate & Adapt

http://hardcoremac.stores.yahoo.net/fipro60forma.html

http://nostarch.com/frameset.php?startat=filemaker

2.) Cajole & Conquer

http://www.filemaker.com/downloads/pdf/filemaker_versions.pdf

http://www.filemaker.com/purchase/store/corporate.html

Key words like "security", "email integration" combined with features like PDF reporting can make that upgrade an attractive sale, even if they aren't savvy enough to recognize the benefits of multitable dbs.

Besides, they are going to have to pay SOMEONE to help them with upgrading and development. Might as well be you, right?

matt